


The missing puzzle piece

by MatteoVSTheFandoms



Category: The Night Shift (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-11-27 09:11:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18192617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatteoVSTheFandoms/pseuds/MatteoVSTheFandoms





	1. Chapter 1

9 months. That's how long it had been since Drew had been deployed. Since he had seen Rick and by God did he miss him. But that was all about to change.

At 7 am Drew was called to a meeting where, along with 4 others in his platoon, he was told he was getting to go home. He couldn't believe it! He was finally going home, finally going to see Rick. He pulled out his little brick phone to call his partner to tell him the happy news but called a different number instead.

"Drew?" 

"Hey TC, I need your help" Drew said.

"Everything okay man?" 

"Perfect actually, I'm coming home!"

"Drew that's great, does Rick know?" TC asked. 

"No, that's what I need help with, I want to surprise him. I'm not telling him I'm coming home." Drew explained. The idea was going to be a challenge, not to mention Rick absolutely hates surprises. 

"He's gonna kill us, you know how much he hates surprises. I'm in, what do you need me to do?"

Drew filled TC in on how he wanted to execute the surprise before biding his goodbyes. 

Next up was to tell Rick he wasn't coming home, Drew was dreading this bit. He had already had this conversation with Rick twice during this deployment. Taking a breath he hit dial. The phone answered in 3 rings.

"Hello?" Rick's sleep hoarse voice came through the phone. 

"Hey baby, it's me" Drew said smiling at the sound of his husband's voice.

"Drew?! What's wrong, why are you phoning me so late? It's 2am?" Rick's sleepy voice cleared up but was now laced with worry.

"Baby I'm fine, I just didn't realise it was so late for you, I just needed to talk that's all." Drew's voice trailed off as he tried to act upset

"Babe? What's up? You sound upset?"

" my deployment is being extended again." Drew sighed. 

"Are you serious?! Babe you promised you would be home soon!" Rick shouted.

"I'm so sorry Rick, I tried negotiating but it didn't work." He apologised. 

Rick was silent. Drew knew he was getting upset.

"How long?" Rick's voice shook with emotion.

"What?"

"Your extension. How long Drew?"

"Babe please can we just leave it?" Drew started, slightly regretting his decision.

"Damn it Drew, please just tell me. Tell me how much longer I have to live without you" Rick said, sniffing down the phone, tears choking his words.

"A year" with that all Drew could hear was his husband's sobs down the phone line. He could feel his own heart breaking. One more week


	2. Chapter 2

*One week later*

The past week had been easily the hardest and the most nerve wracking week in the last nine months for Drew. But today he was going home. He hadn't spoken to Rick since their phone call last week. He knew Rick was devastated which normally meant he wanted to be alone, which had worked out okay for Drew meaning he wouldn't be tempted to spill the truth and spoil the surprise. 

He knew the plan and TC had said everything was in place and ready for him as soon as he got home. 

The flight home seemed longer than he remembered and he couldn't sit still. Drew was excited and nervous and scared. But mostly excited. Checking his watch he sighed. 5 more hours until he was back in San Antonio. Deciding it was best to try and get some rest, he folded his arms and closed his eyes, hoping for sleep to take over. 

 

~With Rick~

Rick sighed and rubbed his face as he walked into the kitchen. He flicked the kettle on to make a cup of coffee. Glancing at the clock he saw that it was 10:30am. He was surprised that he had slept so long but then realised that he had cried himself to sleep again for the 6th time this week. 

As he made his coffee he looked at the calendar Drew had gotten him for Christmas, a personalised one with pictures of the two of them, special dates and anniversaries marked down. Looking at today's date he saw that he had a check up appointment at the hospital at 2pm. He let out a small groan as he picked up his coffee cup and went into the living room. He hated those appointments, they weren't so bad when Drew was with him but on his own, they were awful. 

He put his legs up on the sofa and turned the TV on, flicking through to find the news. 

The top story was about military soldiers coming home. He changed the channel again, not trusting his emotions.

It was a regular thing when Drew had his deployment extended that Rick would have break downs for up to a week at a time. Drew kept telling him to see someone about it but he refused. He was allowed to be upset that he wasn't going to see his husband for another year! It had already been 9 months. Weekly phone calls were barely enough. 

At 12pm Rick decided to take a shower and get dressed for his appointment at the hospital. It would probably take him 45 mins to get there. He just wished he wasn't alone. He left his phone on the coffee table as he went to the shower, missing a text from Drew.

 

~ With Drew~

Drew woke roughly an hour before they were due to land. He smiled to himself, not long now. He was so happy to finally be going home. He knew Rick wasn't going to be happy with him, especially after his break down but maybe this would make up for it. 

He pulled out his phone and texted TC.

D: hey T, landing in 45minutes! See you there.

TC: already waiting, Jordan has everything set up.

D: thanks TC.

Then he Sent a quick text to Rick

D: Good luck at your check up baby, I love you.

He sighed and put his phone away. 

Finally they were landing. As he got off the plane he joined all of the returning soldiers and stood with those in his platoon. 

"Your man waiting for you Allister?" Said kopez the female officer in his platoon.

"No, he's not. One of my buddies is picking me up" he smiled.

"Oh, how come?"

"He doesn't know I'm coming home. He thinks I'm going to be gone for another year." Drew explained as they headed to the luggage claim, applause for them by members of the public ringing in their ears. 

"Ah, that's cute, surprising him like that. Good luck!" She said, picking up her bags. 

"Thanks Kopez, you too" he said grabbing his own bags as he spotted TC. 

"Hey man! It's good to see you!" TC said as Drew approached him. Drew smiled and wrapped him in a hug. 

"It's good to see you too man, it's been too long"

"I'll agree with you there, c'mon let's get you to your husband" TC laughed, flinging his arm over Drew's shoulders. 

"Please! Hearing him break down on the phone like that was heart breaking. I never want to hear him cry because of me again." Drew said as he got in TC's car. 

"I bet it was. You'll have him in your arms in less than an hour." TC agreed as they pulled out of the car park. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Drew smiled as TC pulled into the staff car park of San Antonio Memorial Hospital. Checking the time it was 1:30 PM. Half an hour until he was back in the arms of his husband. 

Walking into the ED he saw all of the Night shift staff working as normal. He looked back at TC.

" we all convinced the day shift to switch with us so we could see you before you went home." TC explained. Drew smiled and nodded in appreciation. 

"Hey Drew!" Kenny yelled. Everyone who could, stopped. There was a round of cheers and hugs. 

"Okay, okay! Give the guy some space, we need to get him hidden until Rick gets here. Drew, go to the on call room. Take the spare pager. I'll page you when he's here." Jordan said, handing over the pager. He thanked her and headed to the on call room. 

It was so surreal to be back there. Now it was just a waiting game. 

 

~With Rick~

Rick sighed as he cut off the engine of Drew's truck. He had 10 minutes to get to his appointment. He climbed out of the cabin and headed for the ED, that's where he had all of his previous check ups. 

"Hey Rick, you okay?" TC asked as he saw him, speaking loud enough for Jordan to hear. She quickly paged Drew 

*He's here, come to curtain 1 in 5 mins* 

"Yeah, as best as I have been this week. I'm just here for my check up" he said. Following TC into trauma 1. 

"How do you mean? Been a bad week?" TC asked. 

"You've not heard from Drew?" Rick asked. It was unlike his husband not to let the hospital know he wasn't coming home. 

"No, why?" 

"He was extended for a year. It's been a tough week." He said, fighting back tears. Nope. He wasn't going to cry in front of TC. 

"Oh man that sucks. I'll be back in a minute, there's a new junior who hasn't seen this kind of check up before,I'm gonna bring him in if that's okay?" TC explained as he removed his gloves. 

Rick nodded, laying back against the bed properly. 

 

TC slipped out from behind the curtain. He saw Drew walking out of the on call room. He beckoned him with a wave. Drew smiled and jogged over. 

"I'm gonna tell him we need to move rooms, then open the curtain wide. He'll then obviously see you. Is that okay?"TC whispered. Drew nodded. 

"Perfect." He whispered back. The butterflies desperately trying to escape his belly. 

TC slipped back into trauma 1. 

"Hey Rick, I'm gonna need to move rooms. Just stay there I'll take the bed with us. Sorry about that" 

"Don't worry about it. It's been worse." Rick chuckled. 

TC smiled. 

"I'm gonna pull this curtain back all the way so I can get you out Okay?"

Rick nodded. TC smiled and gripped the curtain before pulling it back. 

There, in the middle of the ED stood his husband. 

"Hey baby" Drew said, tears in his eyes. 

Rick burst into tears. 

"Drew? Is that really you?" He said between sobs. 

" it's me baby. I'm right here." Drew said, his own tears pouring down his face. He walked towards the bed, arms wide open. 

Rick flung himself into Drew's arms. Drew picked him up off the bed, knocking Rick's prosthetic over, both of them too happy to notice. 

Drew wrapped his arms around Rick's waist as Rick wrapped his around Drew's neck. 

"Oh my god, I can't believe you're here. I missed you so much." Rick sobbed. He was passed caring at this point.

"I missed you to darling. So much. I'm so sorry I lied about the extension. Hearing you break like that, it was horrible." 

Rick clung on tighter. 

"This makes up for it. I'm so glad you're home. I missed you." 

"I know baby. I missed you too. I love you so much. I'm never leaving you for so long again. Never" Drew said, pressing a kiss to Rick's temple. 

Sniffing, Rick drew back to look at his husband. 

"What do you mean."

"That was my last deployment baby. I'm leaving, I'm home for good." He said. 

Rick leant forward, smashing his lips to Drew's. Drew kissed back fiercely. Applause could be heard somewhere behind him but neither of them cared. 

"I love you Drew." 

"I love you too Rick. Always" Drew replied.

"Can we go home? I just need you to hold me for a while." Rick asked. Drew giggled. 

"Yeah, the appointment was fake anyway love. All part of the plan, TC was in on it. So was Jordan and most of the Night shift staff." Drew laughed as he put Rick back on the bed and picked up the prosthetic leg. 

"Oh my god I hate you all" Rick groaned as he realised how many people were in on the surprise. 

Everyone burst into laughter. 

Drew grabbed Rick's hand as he stood up. 

"You love me really!" 

"Yeah, maybe a little. C'mon let's go home" Rick said. 

It was definitely the perfect end to the shittiest week. He had his husband back where he belongs. This time, for good. 


End file.
